Weighted gaming chip and method of producing a chip of this type

ABSTRACT

The invention relates in particular to a gaming chip comprising a weighting disc ( 3 ), the dimensions of which are smaller than those of the chip, the weighting disc ( 3 ) being embedded in the thickness of said chip. The chip is notable in that it comprises a continuous ring ( 5 ) which is formed from a transparent material, extends through the thickness of the chip and surrounds the weighting disc ( 3 ) as closely as possible.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of patent application Ser. No.13/146,018 filed on Dec. 12, 2011, which is a National Stage Entry ofPCT/EP2009/051099 filed Jan. 30, 2009, the contents of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to a gaming chip of the type comprising aweighting disc, the dimensions of which are smaller than those of thechip, the weighting disc being embedded in the thickness of said chip.

Chips of this type are described in particular in the Patent ApplicationFR 2656538.

The chips are formed from a synthetic material which is not sufficientto provide the chip with the required weight alone.

Chip weight is an important aspect for the croupiers who handle them.For example, the weight of said chips is generally approximately 12 to15 g for cylindrical chips. Chip weights which are lower or greater thanthe range to which the croupier is accustomed have a detrimental effecton the croupier's ability to handle them.

A first solution to this problem is to insert (or embed) a metal weightin the form of a disc into the chip.

A second solution is to mix the chip material with densifying particles,i.e. particles which have a greater density than those of this materialin order to obtain a heavier material which is referred to by thoseskilled in the art as “filled material”.

A third solution is to produce a chip comprising both a weighting discand a filled material. A chip of this type is described in the patentapplication FR 2656538.

For counterfeiters wishing to produce counterfeit chips with the sameweight as genuine chips in a casino, it is easier to insert weightingdiscs into chips than to produce chips using a filled material, which isdifficult to purchase commercially.

In addition, in order to forge authentic chips which comprise both aweighting disc and a material filled with densifying particles, thecounterfeiters increase the size of the weighting discs in the chips,the weighting discs being embedded in a non-filled material which caneasily be purchased commercially.

The chips obtained in this way have a weight which is similar to thosewhich are conventionally handled by croupiers so it is difficult todistinguish counterfeit chips by handling them if their outer appearancedoes not indicate their counterfeit origins.

The object of the invention is to provide weighted chips, theauthenticity of which can be easily confirmed.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a chip of the aforementionedtype which is notable in that it comprises a continuous ring made of atransparent material which extends over the thickness of the chip andsurrounds the weighting disc of the chip as closely as possible.

A croupier can easily confirm that a weighting disc is the same size asthat of a genuine chip in a single glance due to the transparency of thering which passes through the thickness of the chip and completelysurrounds the weighting disc.

In this way, a person with illegal intentions producing weighted chipsis no longer able to increase the size of the weighting discs in thechips as a substitute for the material filled with metal particles, thusmaking the process of counterfeiting the chips more difficult. It shouldalso be noted that in genuine chips the weighting discs are generallybarely thinner than the chip, which prevents the weight of the chip frombeing increased by increasing the thickness of the disc.

The chip according to the invention also comprises the followingfeatures taken alone or in combination: said ring has a thickness whichis substantially equal to the thickness of the chip; said ring comprisesmeans for attaching a decorative element; said attachment means compriseradial fingers which project from the edge of said ring; the decorativeelement covers said radial fingers; the decorative element is obtainedby injection-moulding material; the decorative element is produced froma material weighted by particles; the decorative element is producedfrom an opaque material; the decorative element comprises portions whichare in relief; said injection-moulded ring comprises radial notchesformed in the edge thereof, said notches being positioned angularlybetween two portions which are in relief; it comprises a layer ofmaterial which is inj ection-moulded on the decorative element, thesurface of which is level with the surface of the portions in relief.

The invention also relates to a method of producing chips of this type.

In particular, the object of the method according to the invention isthe production of a chip comprising a weighting disc, the dimensions ofwhich are smaller than those of the chip, which is notable in that itcomprises the following steps: arranging the weighting disc in a mould,injection-moulding a continuous ring made of a transparent materialaround the weighting disc.

The method according to the invention also comprises the followingsteps, taken alone or in combination: arranging the weighting disc in amould; injection-moulding a continuous ring made of a transparentmaterial around said weighting disc; it comprises a secondinjection-moulding step to provide a decorative element around saidring; the injection-moulded decorative element comprises portions whichare in relief, and the injection-moulded ring comprises radial notcheswhich result from the weighting disc being supported by the edge thereofduring said first injection-moulding process, said secondinjection-moulding step being carried out in the following manner:arranging an assembly comprising the weighting disc surrounded by saidring made of transparent material in a second mould in such a way thatsaid notches are positioned angularly between two impressions which areproduced in said second mould and are intended to form two of saidportions in relief of said decorative element; injection-mouldingmaterial in said second mould to form the decorative element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A clearer understanding of the invention will be facilitated by thefollowing description of embodiments with reference to the appendeddrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first assembly which comprises aweighting disc and a ring and is obtained after a first step ofinjection-moulding transparent material around said weighting disc,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second assembly which comprises thefirst assembly shown in FIG. 1 and a decorative element obtained after asecond step of injection-moulding a filled material around said firstassembly, and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a chip obtained after a third step ofinjection-moulding a layer of decorative material on the second assemblyshown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a first part 1 of the chip obtained after a first step ofproducing a chip according to the invention.

The first part of the chip comprises a weighting disc 3 which iscylindrical and substantially planar.

The weighting disc 3 is made of metal or a heavy metal alloy such asbrass.

In another embodiment which is not described but would also be inaccordance with the invention the weighting disc 3 may also be producedin the form of a disc comprising an electronic chip which is coated inresin, the resin/chip assembly being embedded in a plastics materialfilled with densifying particles such as tungsten particles.

The first part 1 of the chip also comprises a ring 5 which surrounds theweighting disc 3 around the edge thereof as closely as possible.

The ring 5 is formed from a transparent material such as a transparentplastics material.

The ring 5 is circular and continuous, i.e. it completely surrounds theedge of the weighting disc 3 without being truncated in the vicinity ofthe edge of the weighting disc 3.

The edge of the weighting disc is thus completely visible through thering 5.

In order to remain arranged against the weighting disc 3, the ring 5encloses the weighting disc 3 between two inner rims 7, each rim 7projecting over a face of the weighting disc 3.

The thickness of the ring 5 is substantially equal to the finalthickness of the chip.

On its edge 9, the ring 5 comprises means 11 for attaching a decorativeelement shown in FIG. 2.

These attachment means are in the form of radial fingers 11 whichproject from the edge of the ring 5.

The fingers 11 are substantially parallelepiped-shaped.

The fingers 11 are distributed uniformly in groups of two about the axisof the ring 5.

The ring 5 also comprises radial notches 13 which are formed at regularintervals about the axis of said ring 5.

The radial notches 13 are arranged in pairs and are formed in part inthe edge of said ring 5 between two fingers 11 in a group of two fingers11. The notches 13 of a pair of notches are aligned axially andseparated from one another by a portion of the ring 5, of which thethickness is reduced but the diameter is the same as the rest of thering.

Each of the radial notches 13 represents a partial truncation 15 of anedge 17 of the ring 5 for reasons which shall be explained below.

The first part 1 of the chip currently being described is produced asfollows:

In a first stage, the weighting disc 3 is arranged in a mould and isheld in place by supporting fingers (not shown) which are distributedaround the weighting disc 3 and which abut the edge of the weightingdisc 3.

The transparent plastics material is injection-moulded around theweighting disc 3 in the mould to form the ring 5.

The fingers for supporting the weighting disc are then withdrawn fromthe mould before the first part 1 of the chip thus obtained is removedfrom the mould.

The withdrawal of the supporting fingers thus leaves impressions whichform the notches 13 in the ring 5.

FIG. 2 shows a second part 19 of the chip which is obtained after asecond step in the production of a chip according to the invention.

The second part 19 of the chip is formed from the first part 1 of thechip and a decorative element 21. The decorative element 21 is in theform of a flattened ring which surrounds the ring 5 and is connectedthereto by the attachment fingers 11.

The decorative element 21 is thinner than the ring 5 with the exceptionof the decorative portions thereof which are described below.

The decorative element 21 is obtained by a second step ofinjection-moulding a second material around the ring 5. The secondmaterial is preferably not transparent. The second material is an opaquematerial which is filled with material liable to increase the weightthereof such as clay or barium sulphate particles, metal particles orany other densifying particles.

By way of example, the transparent plastics material used to form thering has a density of 1 whereas the second material used to form thedecorative element 21 has a density of 2.34.

As shown in FIG. 2, the decorative element 21 has elements 23, 24 and 25which are in relief.

The elements 23 and 24 in relief are formed on one of the twosubstantially planar opposing faces 27 of the annular decorativeelements 21 and form, for example, elements 23 indicating the valuerepresented by the chip and decorative elements 24.

The elements 25 in relief are formed on the edge 29 of the decorativeelements 21 and extend in part over the substantially planar opposingsurfaces 27. The elements 25 in relief form, for example, elementsindicating the value of the chip for a croupier assigned to handle them,the number of elements 25 in relief which are formed on the edge of thechip matching the value attributed to the chip for example.

The elements 23 and 24 in relief on the one hand and the element 25 inrelief on the other are of such a thickness that they are level with thelateral surface(s) and with the edge of the finished chip respectively.

In order to form the decorative element 21, the first part 1 of the chipis arranged in a second mould in such a way that the notches 13 arepositioned angularly symmetrically between two consecutive peripheralimpressions formed in the second mould in order to produce two elements25 which are in relief on the edge of the decorative element 21. Theprojecting fingers 11 are received in complementary recesses (not shown)of the second mould in order to ensure the angular position of saidnotches.

In fact, as will be explained below, the notches 13 will be filled witha layer of material 30 in order to form visible markings which visuallybreak up the surface of the transparent ring 5 on the chip, saidtransparent ring not being interrupted between two axially alignedlayers.

Therefore, by positioning the first part of the chip in the second mouldin a particular manner, the markings are always arranged angularly inthe same manner in relation to the decorative elements 25 on all thegenuine chips in such a way that the positioning thereof represents anadditional marker providing a visual indication to a croupier that thechip is a genuine chip.

It is also provided that empty gaps 31 in the form of annular sectorsare left between the annular decorative elements 21 and the ring 5 insuch a way that the covering layer 30, which is injection-moulded in thethird step in the production of the chip, covers the depth of the chip.

The layer 30 is thus more solid and this makes the destruction thereofdifficult.

The covering layer 30 which is injection-moulded in a third step isopaque, and is preferably a colour which is different from that of thefilled material from which the decorative element 21 is formed in such away that the elements 23, 24 and 25 in relief, which are level with thesurface of the finished chip, are visible (see FIG. 3).

In order to form the layer 30, the second part 19 of the chip, which isobtained after injection-moulding the filled material on the first part1 of the chip, is arranged in a third mould.

The third mould has an impression, the depth of which is substantiallyequal to that of the final chip, and therefore substantially equal tothe thickness of the ring 5.

The second part 19 of the chip is held in the third mould by the filleddisc 3 or by the ring 5 in such a way that the injection-moulded layer30 does not show any indication of having been held when the chip isremoved from the mould.

The layer 30 is injection-moulded in such a way that the layer 30 doesnot cover the ring 5. The ring 5 therefore remains completely visible.

Since the third mould has an impression with a depth which issubstantially equal to that of the final chip, the surface of the layer30 is level with the surface of the portions 23, 24 and 25 in relief.

The weighting disc 3, which is slightly thinner than the ring 5, mayalso be covered by an adhesive decorative element, provided that thisdecorative element does not cover the transparent ring 5.

The thickness of the ring 5 is substantially equal to that of thefinished chip and therefore extends through the thickness of the chip.It is thus possible to verify that the chip does not have a weightingdisc with a greater surface area than those in genuine chips which wouldpass through the ring. The transparent ring 5 is continuous and notinterrupted visually except by the markings formed by the layers 30.

The description above has shown how the invention enables theauthenticity of a weighted chip to be verified easily.

It should, however, be understood that the invention is not limited tothe specific embodiment described and any equivalent means are includedin the scope of the invention.

In particular, the ring and the weighting disc may have different,non-circular shapes such as a rectangle, flower, star or ellipse withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed:
 1. Method of producing a chip having a first dimensionincluding a weighting disc having a second dimension, where the seconddimension is smaller than the first dimension, the method comprising:arranging the weighting disc in a first mold, the weighting discincluding a first and second substantially planar surface and an edge;and a first injection-molding of a continuous ring made of a transparentmaterial around the weighting disc such that the transparent materialsurrounds and covers the edge of the weighting disc so that the edge ofthe weighting disc remains visible through the ring, wherein the ring oftransparent material covers the edge of the weighting disc and overlapsa portion of said weighting disc on said first and second surfaceforming a first and second inner rim.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising a second injection-molding of a decorative element around thering.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the decorative element comprisestwo or more portions which are in relief, wherein the ring includesradial notches which result from the weighting disc being supported bythe edge during injection-molding the ring, and wherein the secondinjection-molding includes: arranging an assembly comprising theweighting disc surrounded by the ring in a second mold in such a waythat the notches are positioned angularly between two impressions whichare produced in the second mold and form two of the portions in reliefof the decorative element; and injection-molding material in the secondmold to form the decorative element.
 4. The method of claim 3, furthercomprising a third injection-molding of a material over an assemblycomprising the weighting disc, the ring, and the decorative element, thethird injection-molding including injection-molding material in a thirdmold, an impression of which has a depth which is substantially equal toa depth of the ring.
 5. A method for producing a gaming chip comprising:forming a first part of the gaming chip by arranging a weighting disc ina first mold, the weighting disc being held in place in the first moldby a plurality of removable supporting fingers, a firstinjection-molding of a transparent material around the weighting discsuch that the transparent material surrounds and covers the edge of theweighting disc to form a continuous ring and so that the edge of theweighting disc remains visible through the ring and produces a pluralityof radial fingers that project from the edge of the ring, wherein thering covers the edge of the weighting disc and overlaps a portion of theweighting disc on a first and second surface forming a first and secondinner rim; withdrawing the supporting fingers from the weighting disc toform a plurality of notches in the ring; forming a second part of thegaming chip by a second injection-molding of an opaque material in asecond mold to provide a decorative element around the ring, wherein thedecorative element is connected to the ring by the plurality of radialfingers, the decorative element having a plurality of relief elementsdisposed on a face and edge of the decorative element; and forming thefinished gaming chip by a third injection-molding of an opaque materialover an assembly comprising the weighting disc, the ring and thedecorative element, wherein the third injection-molding is carried outin a third mold, an impression of which has a depth which issubstantially equal to the depth of the ring, wherein the opaquematerial injected in the third injection-molding fills the notcheswithin the ring of transparent material to form a plurality of visiblemarkings on the gaming chip.